Flameout

Liberty’s Flameout’ by John W. Tomac, The New Yorker front cover Feb 13th and 20th, 2017. Image: The New Yorker.

“The illustration takes particular issue with President Trump’s executive order on immigration, targeting citizens of seven Muslim majority nations. It used to be that the Statue of Liberty – and her shining torch – was the vision that welcomed new immigrants and, at the same time, it was the symbol of American values,” said Mr Tomac. “Now it seems that we are turning off the light.”

“To combat authoritarianism, to call out lies, to struggle honourably and fiercely in the name of American ideals – that is what is left to do. That is all there is to do.”

THE NEW YORKER editor David Remnick, following Trump’s upset victory, called the result, “nothing less than a tragedy for the American republic, a tragedy for the Constitution, and a triumph for the forces, at home and abroad, of nativism, authoritarianism, misogyny, and racism.”. He described Trump’s victory as a, “sickening event in the history of the United States and liberal democracy” he called the President-elect a “con who did little to spurn endorsement by forces of xenophobia and white supremacy.”“To combat authoritarianism, to call out lies, to struggle honourably and fiercely in the name of American ideals – that is what is left to do. That is all there is to do,” he said.